Run
by SpecialAgentWho13
Summary: When a young boy witnesses a murder, his life becomes threatened. The killer has chosen him as his next target. Will the NCIS team be able to protect the boy and capture the killer? And what kind of relationships will form along the way?
1. Chapter 1

Okay this is an extremely short first chapter and the next one or two probably will be also but I felt this was a good place to stop. Please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks!

~**NZA**

* * *

Run. That's all that was going through his mind. He kept running and didn't stop, he had to get away as quickly as possible. So he continued to sprint, even when his lungs began to burn. He couldn't remember the last time he had run this hard or this much. Perhaps when he was still too little to remember. Or maybe not at all.  
He looked back over his shoulder at the forested area behind him, not slowing even for a second, but, again, he saw no one following. Still, he didn't want to take any chances.  
He let out a frightened yelp as his toe caught on something and he went flying forward, landing face-first on the rocky and twig-riddled path a foot from where he had been when he'd tripped. Sitting up and brushing himself off quickly, the boy assessed the damage. Just a small cut on his knee below where his now-dirty shorts ended and some minor scratches on his arms. He gently rubbed a hand over his face, feeling for any wounds. None, good. The boy returned to his feet and glanced back, trying to find what had tripped him. Ah, there it was. The root of some nearby tree had grown up out of the dirt and, with a curve, went back underground. The arch it formed was the perfect size for his foot to wedge into. He sighed and quickly realized that he was just standing there, in the open. He had to go. He had to keep running. The boy took off again but this time at a slightly slower pace, the cut on his knee was bleeding and beginning to hurt and he knew it would need attention soon, before it became infected. He pushed himself harder, lungs burning, continuing to run until suddenly the surrounding forest became a little less dark, less frightening, and he broke through the last row of trees and came out onto a road. And ran smack into a fast-moving figure in front of him. He screamed, falling to the ground for a second time, though this time only on his bottom. The boy shut his eyes tight, willing himself to stand and keep running when a hand grabbed him. He gasped and cringed but it was gentle and so he resisted the urge to scream again and slowly opened his tear-filled blue eyes, meeting the worried stare of a pair of deep brown ones.


	2. Chapter 2

Here's the second chapter! A few words shorter than the last one but please enjoy and review! Thank you! :)

~**NZA**

* * *

He didn't know if he could trust her. For a minute he just stayed in his sitting position, assessing the woman. She was wearing a yellow windbreaker, black yoga pants, running shoes, and a bright orange watch cap. His eyes froze at the bulge on her hip. She had a gun. Fear rushed through him. Could she be working with that man? He looked back up at her eyes, the worried look on her face was still there but a look of what might have been confusion had joined it. She looked nice, she was pretty too. But looks could be deceiving, the boy knew. He decided that no, he couldn't trust her right now but it was possible that she was one of the good guys and he had to at least say something to her. The boy opened his mouth to speak but the woman beat him to  
the punch.  
"I am sorry. Are you alright?" She had a strange accent, he noticed, but she seemed genuinely concerned. He tried to speak but couldn't. He nodded and knew by the look on her face that the one on his was still fearful.  
"My name is Ziva David," Funny name too, he thought. Ziva continued, "I am a special agent, I work for NCIS. It stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is like...the FBI... only a Navy and Marines version. What is your name?"  
This time the boy's voice didn't completely fail him. "C-Caleb," he stuttered. "Caleb Matthews. I- There was this-" He was interrupted by the sudden ringing of Ziva's cell phone. She reached in her pocket and grabbed it, giving Caleb a reassuring look, and flipped it open, putting it to  
her ear.  
"David," she stated into the receiver. Caleb wondered why she didn't just say hello.  
"I am very close but I am out for a run...yes I...okay...well...okay, I will be there as soon as I can, Gibbs." She flipped her phone shut and stuck it back in her pocket. Looking back at Caleb she said, "That was my boss, Gibbs. He told me that the body of a Navy sailor was found in a clearing not far from here. Is that what you were running from, Caleb? ...Caleb?"  
"Sort of," the boy answered quietly.  
"What else?" Ziva asked, trying not to alarm the boy.  
There was a long pause before he finally replied. "The man who killed him."

* * *

Okay, there it is! Chapter 3 will probably be up sometime tomorrow. I'm too tired to finish it right now. Lol.


	3. Chapter 3

Alright, here's chapter 3. Enjoy! And sorry it took a while. Not sure when I'll update again...

* * *

"Caleb, did you _see_ the man who killed the sailor? His face? Would you be able to tell me what he looks like?" Ziva looked slightly excited.  
"Yeah, I think so."  
"Good, Caleb. That is great. Now, I need to go to the crime scene and I need you to come with me. Is that okay?"  
"Through there?" Now standing, Caleb turned and pointed at the break in the trees through which he'd just come. "What if the man with the gun is still in the woods? What if he saw me? He could be looking for me!"  
"It is alright, we do not have to go that way. We can go around, but we have to move fast."  
"Okay." He glanced down at his still-bleeding knee. Some blood had begun to run down his leg but he didn't feel much pain from it anymore. He'd be fine for a while.  
They started off at a light jog but eventually slowed to a speed walk and then only an average walking pace when they were about one hundred yards from the scene. They could already see the flashing lights of police vehicles in the distance. Neither one had said much on their  
trip to the field but now Ziva decided to speak up.  
"Caleb, how old are you?" she asked.  
"Eight. I'll be nine in a few months though," he replied. They were quiet again for a few moments when a thought struck Caleb. "Ziva?"  
"Hmm?"  
"If that man saw me, do you think he will come after me and... And kill me?"  
"No. He may try but I will not let that happen, Caleb. My friends and I will protect you," Ziva told him.  
Caleb smiled in response.  
When they reached the yellow police tape that surrounded the scene, Ziva realized she didn't have her NCIS badge. She had left it on the kitchen table in her apartment. Deciding she would just go in, she grabbed hold of Caleb's hand and started to lift the tape when a rookie policeman, probably no older than 25, blocked her path.  
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Only law enforcement personnel allowed inside. I'm gonna have to ask you to step back please," he said.  
Resisting the urge to injure the unsuspecting man, Ziva replied, somewhat angrily, "_Ma'am_?" She huffed. "I am a federal agent. I work for NCIS." She gestured to where Gibbs, McGee, and Tony stood, oblivious to the situation. "Now. Let. Me. In. _Please_."  
"Well I need to see some proof. Got a badge?" If the man knew how close he was to losing his life, he would have just let her by.  
"Tony!" Ziva shouted. Her boss and two co-workers turned towards where she stood with Caleb and the police officer. After a minute, Tony jogged over. "What's up Zee-vah? Heh, nice outfit."  
"Be quiet, Tony. I could say the same to you." She quickly ran her eyes up and down his body. He was wearing a pair of dirty jeans and an old OSU sweatshirt. His hair was disheveled, like he just got out of bed. She continued, "Tell... _him_," Ziva pointed to the nervous young officer, "to let me IN!"  
Not waiting to be told, the man lifted the crime scene tape and nodded to Ziva who, with Caleb in tow, walked under and glared at him as she passed. Caleb was smiling at the exchange.  
"Hey, Ziva?" Tony asked as they were walking towards Gibbs.  
"Yes, Tony?"  
"Ah..." He cleared his throat and then asked quietly, "Who's the kid?"  
"Oh. Um, Tony, this is Caleb. I will tell you more in a moment. When we reach Gibbs and McGee."  
"Okay. Well hey, Caleb! I'm Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. But you can call me Tony." He smiled his signature DiNozzo grin at the boy.  
"Hi," Caleb replied shyly. He stared down at his feet until they reached Gibbs, who was staring at them with a curious, and somewhat annoyed, expression.  
"David!" He didn't quite yell but it was close. Close enough to startle Caleb into hiding behind Ziva. He peeked around the side of her yellow windbreaker to see the Gibbs guy giving Ziva a questioning glare.  
"I will not apologize, Gibbs, as you do not like that but I was slowed down slightly in getting here because I had Caleb with me. And you did not allow me to return to my apartment to change my clothing so this is what I was forced to arrive in because I was out for a run.  
Actually I was just on the other side of the woods, on the road and-"  
"Ziver," Gibbs interrupted. "You're rambling."  
"Right. Sorry... Errm-nevermind."  
Caleb giggled from behind her, reminding Gibbs of the boy's presence and causing the questioning look to return to his face.  
"Ah.. Gibbs, this is Caleb," Ziva began. "He ran into me while I was running. Came out of the woods." Ziva glanced down at the boy who now had a frightened expression on his face as he glanced around the familiar crime scene. "Gibbs, he saw the man that killed this navy sailor. Caleb said he would be able to tell us what the murderer looks like."

Gibbs kneeled down in front of Caleb. "That right? You remember what he looked like?" he asked him.

"Yes. I- I think so," Caleb replied. He was slightly intimidated by this silver-haired man.

"Where are your parents, Caleb? Do you live nearby?" Gibbs questioned.

"No. I don't live near here. My parents…are dead." He whispered the last part but Gibbs, Ziva, and Tony all heard him. Meanwhile, McGee was still photographing the scene and totally oblivious to what was happening not twenty feet from him.

"Where do you live then?" Gibbs asked gently.

"The-the orphanage on 5th Street." A tear slowly made its way down the boy's dirty face.

"We're going to have to go there. Talk to whoever is in charge of you. Ziva," Gibbs said. "Take him to your apartment. Get him cleaned up and then go over the orphanage, got it?"

"Yes. Gibbs," he voice got quieter and she leaned closer to her boss. "I am afraid that whoever killed the sailor is going to come after him. Caleb thinks that the killer saw him."

"Well then tell the people at the orphanage we'll have to take him into protective custody for now. He seems to trust you the most. I want you to keep an eye out and have him with you at all times, if possible, Ziva."

"Yes, Gibbs."

"Here." He handed her the keys for the agency-issue Charger. "We'll take the vans back. There's Ducky now," he said as the M.E. van pulled into the clearing.

"Thank you, Gibbs. Caleb, come with me. We are going to my apartment to clean up, alright?"

"Okay."

Ziva lead him to the car, wondering how she would handle having to take care of this eight-year-old boy.

* * *

Okay sorry about the odd spacing like 2/3 of the way through but I typed some of this on my iPod and then put it on my computer and typed the rest. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and please review! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Well, I totally abandoned this story, didn't I? Here's the next chapter, I made it extra-long (long for me, anyway) as a kind of apology but I understand if you don't forgive me lol. I'm sorry but I probably won't be updating this again until summer or maybe my next break from school, I don't know, so I'm sorry.

Okay so I should probably clarify some things, considering it's been so long since I last updated. Since Ziva is wearing the orange beanie, this obviously has to take place before her apartment gets blown up and I don't know where I was going with this when I first wrote it so I'm kind of starting over on it but I'm not going to redo the first three chapters or anything. And since this has to take place before the explosion and this is fanfiction, I can do whatever I want so it is going to be in late season 6 time but all of the Michael Rivkin hoopla of the last few/five or so episodes is nonexistent. Also, school is out so Caleb will not have to go. Now, on to the chapter!

~NZA

Caleb gripped the edge of the seat as Ziva swerved in and out of traffic on the way to her apartment. _I hope we make it there_, he though uneasily as they nearly collided head-on with a U-Haul truck. Finally, thankfully, Ziva turned into a parking space in front of a large apartment building and Caleb breathed a sigh of relief.

"Here we are," Ziva announced getting out of the car and seeming as carefree as though they HADN'T just had at least three near-death experiences. Caleb got out of the car on shaking legs and followed her into the building and up to her apartment on the third floor.

As she let him in, he glanced around. It was a nice place, not girly like he'd expected. Ziva led him into the kitchen first.

"Would you like something to eat or drink, Caleb?" she asked, opening the fridge.

"Do you have any juice?" he asked quietly.

"I have orange juice. Is that fine?"

"Yeah, it's my favorite," he mumbled, accepting the glass she poured for him.

"Something to eat? I have granola bars and fruit. Or I could make you something?" Ziva was unsure of what to feed a little boy. She tried to remember what it was like helping her mother take care of Tali all those years ago.

"What kind of granola bars?"

"Umm…" she pulled open a nearby drawer and grabbed one out. "Peanut butter?"

Caleb smiled for the first time since they had gotten in the car at the crime scene as he took the granola bar and orange juice and sat down at the small table in her kitchen. "Thank you, Miss Ziva."

"You are welcome, Caleb. And you can just call me Ziva if you want." After gulping down an entire bottle of water, Ziva grabbed a white plastic box out of one of the cabinets and got down on one knee in front of him. "Let me see that cut on your leg," she told him. "I will clean it up."

Caleb swallowed the last of his juice and granola bar and spun in his chair to face her. She got to work wiping it with an antiseptic cloth. He gave a sharp intake of breath at the initial sting of the alcohol and Ziva smiled apologetically. When she finished wiping it down, she tossed the cloth into the trash and stood up.

"There. I will not put a band aid on it right now so that you can take a shower."

"Okay. I'm taking a shower here?" he asked.

"Yes, I will wash your clothes while you are in there. When you are finished, I will clean myself up and then we will go to the orphanage, alright?" She smiled gently at him.

"Alright… Ziva?"

"Yes?" She led him down the hall, towards the bathroom.

"Do I have to stay there? What if that guy finds me? He saw me and he knows what I look like now!" Caleb was starting to tear up again but he held them back, wanting to seem stronger than he felt.

"No, Caleb, of course not," Ziva reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder hesitantly, trying to comfort him. "We will be keeping you in protective custody so you will be staying with at least one agent at all times, okay? We will find an agent you can stay with."

"Okay… What about you?"

"What about me, Caleb?"

"Can you be the agent? I don't want to stay with another one. I like you best; you saved me." Caleb slowly got quieter as he continued to speak and Ziva barely heard his last sentence.

She smiled at his words. "Yes, I'll see what I can do, Caleb, alright?"

He smiled in return, nodded, and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. A couple minutes later he opened the door just enough to throw out the dirty clothes before shutting it again.

"There are towels in the closet," she told him as she heard the shower start up. Ziva picked up the clothes and rushed to get them in the laundry before he got out of the shower. She put them in for a quick wash and then a rapid dry. After folding them, she set them on the floor in front of the bathroom door just as the shower shut off and went to her dresser to get clean clothes of her own.

Ten minutes later they were both standing next to the front door, ready to leave.

Ziva gave a quick sigh and looked down at the young boy before her. "Let's head to the orphanage now, shall we?" she asked.

Caleb simply nodded and they walked out the door, Ziva locking up behind them.

* * *

Okay so that is the last chapter on this for a while. I'm sorry, I'm just not really feeling up to writing this fic right now. Maybe sometime this summer? Who knows… Anyway, I really do apologize to any readers I do have on this story. If anyone wants to take up the task of finishing the story for me, I'd gladly hand over the task. You can write the chapters and I'll make some edits if necessary, then post it. If no one wants to take it on, then I'm sorry. I'm just abandoning this fic for the time being. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)

~NZA


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter is for ForeignMusicLyrics, who pushed me over the edge and into updating this story. I'm sorry it might be a little short and have a weird format (I wrote it on my iPod) but a chapter is a chapter, yes? So here we go. And, also, I don't know if there is a 5th Street and I am relatively certain there is no orphanage in D.C. but fiction is fiction and, as my Physics teacher says, "I do what I want!" So please ignore the inaccuracies and enjoy the story!

After another terrifying ride in the car with Ziva, they pulled up onto the side of the road near the orphanage. It was rare to see them here in America but not altogether impossible. The building was in fairly good shape and as she and Caleb entered, Ziva noticed it looked just as good on the inside as well.

The click-clack of high heeled shoes on tile alerted them to the woman's presence before she actually came into sight. When she did eventually round the corner, Ziva took in her frazzled appearance. The woman looked to be about middle-aged, slightly overweight, with frizzy blonde hair and light brown eyes that were filled with fear and worry. Both of these were replaced with were replaced with relief as she caught sight of the boy at Ziva's side.

"Caleb! Oh, God, where have you been? Haven't we told you not to wander off after school? What if you got hurt or kidnapped, huh? You're lucky this woman found you."

"I'm sorry Ms. Porter," Caleb mumbled, looking down at his feet.

Ms. Porter looked to Ziva now with a smile. "Thank you so much for bringing him back here. Some of these kids, they're just troubled, that's all."

"Actually I came here to talk to whoever is in charge of Caleb. I am Officer Ziva David, I work with NCIS. Is your boss around?"

"Uh yeah, sure. Mrs. Rankin is in her office. I'll show you there. Please follow me." Now Ms. Porter was looking more nervous than anything as she lead Ziva and Caleb to Rankin's office.

They reached a dark wooden door at the end of the hall. The frosted pane of glass set into it had black letters in the center reading "Manager's Office." Porter knocked lightly on the door.

A faint call of "Come in" could be heard through the thick wood and then the blonde turned the knob and pushed it open.

"Um, Mrs. Rankin? There's a-uh federal agent here to see you," Porter announced timidly.

An older woman, probably in her fifties, sat at a large wooden desk at the back of the small office, surrounded by files. Her graying dark brown hair was pulled back from face in a severe bun but her bright green eyes were warm in contrast as she looked up at the three standing in her doorway and smiled.

Ziva stepped forward and Rankin rose. They both shook hands as Ziva introduced herself. "Officer Ziva David, NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Service."

"Michelle Rankin, orphanage manager. How can we help NCIS. Does this have something to do with Caleb over there?"

Ziva nodded. "Yes, actually. I was thinking Ms. Porter could help him collect some of his things while we talked."

"Um, certainly." Rankin looked to the woman in the doorway. "LuAnne, would you mind?"

"Yeah, sure. Come on, Caleb." LuAnne lead the boy out the door and back down the hallway before disappearing around the corner once again.

Once they had gone, Ziva turned back to Rankin, who motioned them both to take seats.

"What can the orphanage do for NCIS, Ms. David?"

"A navy sailor was murdered in the nearby park and Caleb witnessed it."

"Oh, God. He did?" Rankin looked horrified at this news.

"Yes. And it is possible that the killer saw Caleb as well. Therefore, it is necessary for NCIS to take him into protective custody until we have solved the case and caught the killer."

"Oh, alright. Yes, of course. This is just terrible, a murder. Caleb is only eight years old."

"He will be just fine. NCIS will protect him." Ziva gave a small smile in reassurance.

"Okay." Rankin smiled in return and stood. "Why don't we go meet up with Caleb and Ms. Porter upstairs? They're probably finishing up by now."

After locking her office door, Mrs. Rankin led Ziva back down the hallway and up the stairs to the second level of the orphanage where young boys and girls were roaming about playing games, reading, doing homework. Ziva couldn't help but feel sorry for the orphaned children.

Rankin turned left and opened a door in the common room marked "Boys Room 1." Inside were several beds lined up along the wall, a few dressers and tables, and about seven or eight more children, all boys and all seemingly about ten or younger. Caleb and LuAnne Porter were in the room as well and everyone looked up as Rankin and Ziva entered.

"Good afternoon, boys. This is Officer David. She's here to take Caleb because her agency has to protect him for a while, alright?" The boys nodded as Caleb walked up to Ziva, a tattered blue back pack slung over his shoulder.

"Ready to go, Caleb?" Ziva asked the boy.

He nodded. "C-can I introduce you to my friends first, Ziva?"

The Mossad liaison officer gave him a small smile. "Of course."

Caleb smiled too as he turned and pointed to each boy as he said their name. "That's Logan, Micah, Matthew, and Joey. And over there, that's Tristan and Lucas and Sam and Ben." The boys smiled and waved at Ziva and she did the same in return.

Ziva turned back to the boy that would be kept in NCIS custody until the team could catch a sailor's killer. As she led him out the door and back to the Charger, she found herself hoping that it wouldn't take them too long. She didn't want to keep Caleb from his friends and she certainly didn't want him getting killed by the sailor's murderer.

I hope that wasn't as bad as it seemed to me. Thanks for reading even if it was and for those of you reading my other fics, I may just update them tomorrow or this weekend but don't get your hopes too high because it might only be one or two, not all of them and not very long chapters but anyway, thanks again and expect an update on this maybe in early April (my spring break) but if not, then around summer time (U.S., of course).

~NZA


	6. Chapter 6

Okay. So I'm updating every single one of my stories this weekend and some chapters are going to pretty long and some are going to be pretty short. This is falls into the latter category. Sorry. But hey, it's better than no update at all, right? Right. Now read away and enjoy. ;)

~NZA

* * *

"We are going straight to NCIS," Ziva told Caleb as she swerved around a Honda that was going far too slow for her liking. "You can bring your bag inside with you."

"Okay." Caleb leaned back in his seat, finding that he was already growing accustomed to the former assassin's driving.

The moment they stepped off the elevator, Abby came running into view. Caleb's eyes widened at her appearance and demeanor, which he deemed rather childlike.

"Yaaaay, you're here! Tony said you were bringing a kid with you! This is him? He's adorable!"

Ziva laughed and nodded.

If possible, Abby's grin grew larger as she leaned down to Caleb's eye level. "Hi! I'm Abby!" she said cheerily, wrapping the boy in a tight hug.

"Um, Abby," Ziva said tentatively. "He needs to breathe."

"Oh! Sorry!" Abby said, letting him go. He took in a few gulps of precious air and smiled shyly.

"So what's your name?" she asked as the three made their way over to the bullpen.

"Caleb," Caleb said quietly.

"How old are you?"

"Eight. But I'll be nine in a couple months," he added hastily.

"Cool! Do you want to come see my lab?" Abby asked.

"Sure." Caleb looked at Ziva as though to ask permission. She nodded and smiled at him. Abby would get his description of the killer while they were down there as well. With any luck, it would lead them straight to him.

Caleb smiled and followed the eccentric Goth to the back elevator, leaving the agents to continue working on their victim's background.

* * *

After Abby had finished showing Caleb around her lab she sat him down by her computer and took a seat next to him.

"You want me to describe the killer, don't you?" he asked quietly.

Abby nodded and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. I mean, do you think you could? It's just-"

"Yes. I can do it. I have to, so you guys can catch him," Caleb said determinedly.

Abby gave him a quick nod and a salute before pulling up the face-recreation program. "Let's get to work, shall we?"

Caleb gave her a small smile.

After an hour, they had a face that Caleb was confident closely resembled man he saw kill the sailor. They high-fived and Abby printed out a copy, sending another to McGee's email. Snagging the picture from the printer, Abby grabbed Caleb's hand and led him back upstairs, a triumphant look on her face. They would totally catch this guy.

* * *

See? I told you it was short. Sorry again. I'm not liking this very much and it's really only a filler chapter but ah well. Review or not, doesn't matter to me. Thanks for reading. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Alright so, truth be told, I have been on summer vacation nearing a week now. I just haven't felt like updating some of my fics. Others I have already updated one or two times. It kind of just depends on my mood and preference for writing them whether I update or not. Anyway, here's another terrible chapter. I hope you enjoy it more than I do.

* * *

After Abby brought Caleb back to the bullpen, she returned to her lab and initiated a facial recognition search on the picture they had created. While she waited, she finished processing the other evidence from the scene, looking over results with a careful eye. When a beeping emanated from the computer only twenty minutes later, Abby grinned. Only to have the grin drop from her face a moment later when she realized that the beeping was alerting her about the tox screen results. They were negative.

Abby huffed and returned to the fiber she was analyzing. She carefully placed a piece of it into a small vile and stuck the vile in her mass spectrometer, 'Major Mass Spec.' She pressed a few buttons to get in going and then twirled around to snatch the stereo remote off her table. She raised the volume on her music and began dancing to it. The processing was done. Now all she required was the results.

The next ding brought her spinning back to the computer. A Cheshire cat grin spread across her face as she stared at the search results blinking on the screen. Facial Recognition already had a match.

"Laurence Claudel," Abby read aloud. "Bingo."

* * *

"Do you need anything, Caleb?" Ziva asked.

The boy shook his head. He sat on the floor, back against Gibbs's desk as he scribbled in a blue spiral notebook.

Ziva returned to her work, looking into their dead sailor's file. But it was no use. She had been over it twice already and there was nothing that shed light on how the sailor had become a target. No disorderly conduct, not even one bad mark. Seaman Joseph Thatcher had been a model sailor.

She was preparing to tell Gibbs she had nothing when McGee, bless him, announced that he had something.

"Regular two thousand dollar deposits at the end of each month, Boss," Tim explained. He brought up Thatcher's phone and bank records on the plasma. "Plus, he got a phone call from the same number every Saturday for the past five months. They were all about fifteen seconds long. Except for the last one. It lasted only five and a half seconds."

"Drugs?" Tony speculated.

"Find out," Gibbs commanded. "You two got anything for me?" he asked Tony and Ziva. Both regretfully shook their heads. "Then I'm goin' for coffee," he said.

He was stopped by Abby running into the room. "Gibbs, wait!"

"What, Abbs?"

"I know who the killer is! The guy Caleb saw." She walked over to McGee's desk and pushed him out of the way, then typed something into his keyboard. The sketch and a few blurry pictures appeared on the screen.

"His name is Laurence Claudel. He's the French Canadian leader of a big money laundering organization. Claudel is on about eight wanted lists worldwide and is suspected to be hiding somewhere in the U.S. And, not only is he wanted by various governments, but there are crime syndicates with beefs on him as well. Claudel is not a well-loved guy, Gibbs."

"Find out where he is," Gibbs ordered. He was already heading towards the elevator. "And figure out his connection to Thatcher." Then he was gone.

* * *

Yeah it's pretty short. I'm really getting burnt out on this story, as you might be able to tell. My creative juices are running low. If anyone has any ideas or just wants to take the story over please feel free to let me know. Thanks for reading. Happy 4th/Independence Day to my fell U.S. citizens.


	8. Chapter 8

Please Read AN: I'm setting this story in Season 5 (late season/2008, but before the finale, so Jenny is still alive), since Ziva still has the orange beanie and yellow windbreaker. Now, as you all well know, Ziva is not an American citizen at this point in time and therefore cannot adopt in America. Some of you in your reviews were expressing a desire to see Ziva take Caleb in after all is said and done, which would be extremely complicated given the circumstances within the time frame. Of course, if enough readers feel that the previously mentioned outcome would be worthwhile for this story, I'd be happy to alter the time frame to something more current. The only problems being that I would have to change a few dates in this chapter as well as change the director from Jenny to Vance, which shouldn't be too difficult, seeing as the former involves only a couple edits and the latter, well, I have yet to mention the director in this story so that's not even a problem. The only glitch it would cause in the story is the whole beanie and windbreaker thing, which you can all simply pretend either wasn't mentioned or that Ziva, for some reason, bought a new orange beanie and a new yellow windbreaker (the latter occurring in real life would be less surprising than the former) and roll with it. If I was to still possess the computer on which the Chapter 2 Word document is saved, I suppose I could simply alter it a bit. But, alas, I do not. I guess that is about it, then. Let me know your thoughts so I can plan the remainder of the story appropriately, fix whatever necessary, and get another chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

"Why would a big boss like Laurence Claudel do the dirty work of killing some lackey himself?" Tony asked no one in particular. The team, plus Abby, was gathered in the bullpen and discussing the case. Caleb was downstairs in Autopsy- the body sewn up and in the freezer for the day, out of the boy's sight- being regaled by tales from Ducky's youth.

"Perhaps it was personal," Ziva suggested.

"What did you find connecting Thatcher to Claudel?" asked Gibbs.

McGee expelled a resigned sigh. "Not much, Boss. He didn't seem to be anything more than a runner, working under Claudel during his time off from the Navy."

Gibbs stared, waiting for more.

"Three of Claudel's known associates have been indicted by the U.S. for money laundering in the past four years. Ellis Hayberg, Luc Fortier, and James Conrad," Abby told him. "None of them ever made it to trial."

"Why?" Gibbs questioned impatiently. He gulped some coffee and watched his agents expectantly.

"They were all killed before the trial dates were even set, Gibbs," Ziva explained. She held up three fingers on her left hand, ticking them off with her right index finger as she went. "Ellis Hayberg, indicted in November of 2005, killed one month later by a single, long-range shot to the head during prison transport. Investigation into his death went nowhere." Tick. "Luc Fortier, indicted in March 2006, killed in the same month along with his lawyer when his vehicle was blown up by a pipe bomb hidden in the trunk. Assailant left no trace." Tick. "James Conrad was an American congressman from the state of South Carolina. He was indicted in August of last year. Conrad was killed under suspicious circumstances during a fishing trip in September." Final tick.

"I remember that," said Tony, sitting up in his chair. "Conrad's connections got the judge to grant him free reign until his trial, so long as he remained in South Carolina. He and his brother went on the week-long fishing trip in early September and when Conrad didn't come out of his cabin one morning, his brother- I think his name was William- went over and found the door unlocked. When he went inside, he found poor big brother James dismembered in the bathtub. Place was totally clean- other than the blood and body parts, of course."

Abby shuddered. "Creepy stuff, Gibbs. Claudel has a lot of connections and he knows how to use them to his advantage. If there's even a _chance_ that his organization could become unraveled, he has the threat diminished ASAP."

"Which means that if he saw Caleb, we and the kid are in a lot more trouble than we originally thought," said McGee.

Gibbs nodded slowly, absorbing the information he'd been given as he took another gulp of his bitter black brew. "Then I guess we'll just have to keep our asses covered and take this guy down," he declared finally.

Nobody screws around on Gibbs's turf without getting caught. Not even people as big as Laurence Claudel.

* * *

I apologize that this is so short but it was filled with some nice case-related stuff. Plus, I need to see what you guys have to say about all that stuff I talked about in the beginning. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you weren't disappointed.


	9. Author's Note

No, contrary to your probable (and understandable) assumptions, I have not dropped off the face of the earth. However, all my inspiration for this story has, so I apologize, but I won't be continuing it. Mostly, I've just been too busy to write, but other reasons -like lack of ideas- are holding me back, as well. I'm going to mark this as complete and maybe someday I'll return to finish it, but not any day soon. Sorry about that. I can't imagine this is the case, but if anyone is so opposed to seeing this go and wants to take over the story, I'd be glad to relinquish it. Just let me know. Anyway, thanks to all that have stuck with it. Your reviews were always appreciated.


End file.
